Where Loyalties Lye
by TheLupineRebel
Summary: Sakura is older wiser and a completely new person. But one night none other than Uchiha Itachi shows up and kidnaps her without a second thought. Her time with the Akatsuki will changer her forever but for better or worse? [ItaSaku]rated M
1. Danger Dawns

-1_**Okay I have no idea why I decided to write this but somehow, I felt the need to start an ItaSaku fic. Please enjoy it and uh…DON'T SHOOT ME!!! --runs away-- this is my first shot at something like this so review and tell me if it's okay!**_

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The full moon hung over Konoha, throwing a silvery light over the buildings and streets. Not a single movement in the streets. Everything was still in the late night air. No one could have guessed that a rouge ninja and sworn enemy of the village, Uchiha Itachi, was stealing through the Hidden Leaf Village without a sound, making his way to the home of a certain kunoichi.

His sandaled feet alighted on her roof and he hooked his feet on the gutter, swinging himself down. Now upside down he gazed into the dark room. He could see that no one was home. that meant she was out, or on a mission.

Itachi decided the latter was unlikely and stole toward the Hokage's building. Kisame would call him cocky, later for sneaking in right under the Leaf's nose, but that was not important now. No one saw the shadowy figure slip past the guards and slink up the side of the building. and no one saw him wedge himself under the Fifth Hokage's window.

"What were those nin on the ANBU squad again Shizune?"

"On Squad 9?...Let's see...Arachi Hanabo, Churiki Yuki, and Haruno Sakura Tsunade-sama."

"We should send word to them that a storm is moving in where they are heading..."

"Tsunade-sama, Sakura will be fine. She passed the ANBU exam didn't she?"

He heard a snort and then, "You sound just like Naruto and Kakashi."

That was all Itachi needed to know. He let himself drop to the ground below and stole out of the village. His Akatsuki cloak was right where he had hidden it, along with the meager little pouch of food he kept with him.

He shrugged off the chill of the night and donned his cloak. If being Head of the ANBU at 13 had taught him anything, it was how to track, and tracking an ANBU squad would be mere child's play for him.

It had been a while since he took any of their lives...

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"Target in sight."

"Good, follow closely and mask you chakra, they mustn't know they are being protected or the negotiations will fall right through."

"Hai!", said Sakura as the two now familiar voices of her teammates sounded through the radio. She crept toward the caravan of feudal lords and knelt on the leaf-littered forest floor. Her cat ANBU mask covered her pretty face. She was now 24 years old, and part of the elite of the elite. Her pink hair was a little longer than it usually was, but she kept it out of the way when necessary. She shifted unfomfortably as an acorn fell from above and found it's way inside her form-fitting ANBU uniform. _No time for discomfort Sakura, keep your eyes on the prize...err...target._

Finally the group of feudal lords form the Wind and Snow countries gave the command and their posse moved forward.

Sakura, Yuki, and Hanabo moved along with the group, silent guards. It was tedious work for such skilled shinobi but it was necessary. If the Wind and Snow countries made a treaty that would mean the Fire country would have an easier time trading with them. it was crucial to broaden one's horizons.

But Sakura cursed all broadening of horizons as they crept along at a snails pace. Night it seemed just wouldnt come fast enough.

"Sakura, could you go get some water?" asked Yuki. the petit woman was kneeling by the fire, while Hanabo sharpened his sword. The group of lords had stopped for the night and so had Squad 9. Sakura looked up from digging that precarious acorn out of the back of her uniform. "Sure."

As she stood up the acorn plopped to the ground. she cursed at it and crept through the woods toward the small stream. Filling the three canteens she wondered how many stars where really in the sky. they surrounded the full moon like an entourage of the admiring public.

She shook off these thoughts and stealthily made her way back to the small smokeless fire. But when she got back they where not there. the fire had been put out and a single sign was scratched into the trunk of a nearby tree. to a passerby it wood look as if an animal had made it. but to a member of the ANBU it read 'danger'

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_**Okay I know what your all wondering...'wtf does Itachi want with Sakura?' Well that will be explained in the next chapter in full. Oh and no Itachi does not know her except for that brief encounter in Shippuden.**_


	2. Hopeless Escape

-1_**Warnings: rated M for language violence and sexy situations ; )**_

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Sakura tensed and immediately took to the trees. First priority was the feudal lords. her feet alighted on the nearest branch and she wrapped her fingers around a kunai. through the darkness she sensed a sinister chakra signature. it felt vaguely familiar but she didn't waste time trying to remember. with deadly precision she launched the kunai in the intruders direction and fled in the opposite direction. her mind was racing. _ I've got to get whoever this is away from the lords...Hanabo, and Yuki are in trouble, I hope they're okay.._

She banished these gut wrenching thoughts and concentrated on running. finally when she felt it was far enough away for a fight she dropped down from the tree tops. it was a small clearing, not suited for full scale battle but good enough.

"I actually thought you were worth fighting."

Sakura fought down a choking desire to gasp as a dark cloaked form emerged from the trees. she couldn't see his face, only blood red eyes that glowed like embers in the darkness.

The figure regarded her and spoke again in a deadly smooth voice, "Only a coward flees from battle in such a way, your teammates were much more interesting." at this point she lost control. "Bastard what have you done with them?!"

He moved aside slightly and in the full moon's unforgiving light she saw the bloody corpses of her teammates. Upon seeing this her reserve shattered and she pulled out her katana from it's sheath with a satisfying, deadly sound. "Oh please", he said, "If you actually remembered who I was you would know I am more skilled with a blade then even you could possibly hope to imagine." He stepped forward and as the moon's light fell upon his face cold realization hit her like a ton of bricks.

"Uchiha Itachi."

This was bad, really, really bad. Even with her years of training, and recent ANBU expertise, there was no way she could survive a head on battle with the elder Uchiha. _Well if I'm going down I'm at least going down swinging._

She moved to the left and his Sharingan eyes followed her every movement. "Why them? Why us?" she shouted at him.

He cocked his head to the side, "It was not them I'm after it's you."

She didn't waste time. Her sandaled foot came down to the hardened ground and an earth-shaking crack moved with blinding speed toward him. As the ground opened at his feet however, the red-eyed man disappeared.

Sakura made to turn around but it was far to late. She felt his presence right behind her. His cloaked arm snaked around her throat and she felt the cold metal of a kunai against her sensitive skin. _That's probably the one I threw at him the bastard!_

Before she was killed, she had to know one thing: "Why me?" she whispered hoarsely.

"The Akatsuki requires your…expertise."

Then she felt strong fingers press down on a nerve in her neck, and the world went black.

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_Let's see…head pounding, body aching, and tied up…I'm in deep shit…_

Blearily Sakura opened her eyes to take in her surroundings. Her jade eyes squinted against the sunlight pouring in through a window nearby. Experimentally she wiggled her body and looked down. No serious injuries, but rope bound her legs and arms tight to her body. She saw that she was in a room, probably underground, that had that one small window, and a dirt floor. She surveyed the exits, the window and the heavy metal door, both with strong seals on them…well there went that plan.

Slowly she sat up and wriggled her way against the wall.

Memories of the night before swiftly came back to her and fear enveloped her. _What would a group of S-class criminals want with a medic from Konoha? _

As if to answer her inquiry the metal door swung open and man in the Akatsuki attire entered. She recognized him from the mission to rescue Gaara all those years ago. "Your that guy with the freaky hands."

His one visible blue eye glared at her. "And your that chick with the freaky strength."

Sakura snorted. "Touché. What is your name again? I seem to have forgotten." He raised an eyebrow. "The name's Deidara."

"Sakura."

The blonde psycho-bomber, walked over to her and grabbed her by the her shirt. "Well now that we've gotten to know each other you have job arrangements to discuss."

She blanched. "What the hell? Are you fucking serious? The reason that sociopath kidnapped me was to convince me to join you?"

"Pretty much yeah."

"Fuck off and die."

"Oh now that's not very nice, I could just kill you now…"

He pressed a kunai to her throat, but brought it down again. "But that wouldn't be any fun."

Without a second thought he slung the bound girl over his shoulder and left the room. She didn't fight, her chance was coming…

Finally as his body shifted under her, her mouth was near enough to his neck. Her teeth lightly nicked the nerve and he collapsed under her. Wasting no time, she wriggled into an upright position, and focused the chakra to her fingers. As they brushed against the rope, it fell away and she was free. Lightly stepping over the unconscious bomber Sakura made her way down the hall toward a staircase. Her chakra was masked and steps stealthy, if she was careful she just might make it out of here alive.

Her pace quickened as she ran up the stairs and met a door. It was locked and sealed but no matter. Her skilled fingers shattered the lock, which cut off the seal. She grinned wickedly to herself and swung open the door.

Her eyes met red Sharingan ones and her hopes were dashed. Still, she wasn't done yet. Her foot moved with blinding speed toward his feet and he leaped backwards to avoid the bone cracking, blow. That was her opening. She ran throught the doorway and past the Uchiha. Her feet pounded across what felt like carpet and her eyes saw only a corridor. She could hear his unenthusiastic pursuit behind her and quickened her pace. Finally she reached the end of the corridor, but again her way was blocked, this time by none other than, the shark-nin, Kisame. He leered down at her with a pointy-toothed grin, and beady black eyes.

"So you finally got out did you?"

"Like I told your friend: Fuck off and die!"

Itachi finally closed in behind her. This was not good. In one direction, there was a Sharingan user and genocidal maniac, and in the other was a shark man with a chakra stealing sword.

_Well like all great ninja say: 'When in doubt improvise'._

Her chakra enhanced fist landed directly on the right wall's support beam and a sizeable hole appeared there. Through the dust and debris she ran through the gap and immediately froze. Through pure rotten luck she seemed to have stumbled upon every S-class Akatsuki member, eating lunch. A man with a plant for a head, another with an orange spiral mask encasing his face, a man who seemed to be shrouded in a shadow, and another with grey hair and piercing blue eyes. And all were looking at her.

She gulped and stepped backward. She felt her back run into something, and turned to see Itachi glaring down at her with vicious Sharingan eyes. Not ready to die yet she landed a punch to his gut and dodged Kisame's sword swinging toward her head.

"Come now you little vixen, surely you know resistance is by now futile."

Sakura glared at the shark with, animal ferocity. "I am a Leaf Shinobi, do you really expect me to lower myself to your standards?"

She gasped as she felt thin cold wire wrap around her body. Itachi looked at her shock maliciously. His hand twitched the wire and it tightened, cutting into her shoulders and causing blood to flow down her arms. "One wrong move and I cut you to ribbons."

The shadowed man looked at her with power hungry eyes. "We have been watching you for some time now Haruno Sakura. Apprentice to the Fifth Hokage, student of the Copy-Nin, and a cold-blooded murderer."

She flinched but did not speak.

"Oh yes we know. Last year, you directly disobeyed Tsunade's direct orders, fled the village and killed this important political figure, merely because he wronged you.

She let out a hollow laugh. "I killed him because the sick son of a bitch, killed my parents, and raped my mother before hand.

"So it was revenge then."

"Yes"

"After you fled, you were immediately declared a missing nin and no less then six ANBU squads were sent after you. You evaded them all. "

"Yes."

"Then you killed him in cold blood."

Sakura had begun to tremble. "How do you know all this?"

"We have our ways. So you returned to your village, were punished, almost banished, and became ANBU. Quite a smeared record for such a renound medic."

"Let's cut to the chase, why do you want me?"

"Because, you have the skill we respect, the medical skills we need, and more importantly, you have tasted the cruel injustice of the corrupt government."

She smiled. "And what makes you think I'll join this corrupt organization instead?"

"We'll give you time to think it over."

"And if I refuse?"

"You die."

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_**Oooooh! Cliffhanger! don't worry ppl there will be ItaSaku in the next chapter, this was just a pivotal point in the fic. Ill update soon I promise!**_


	3. Wake Up Call

-1_**Warnings: rated M for language violence and sexy situations ; )**_

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Sakura was silent as Itachi led her to the room, she would be staying in. He moved with equally silent steps. As they made their way up stairs and down corridors, she saw that they were in an old training compound. They had one like it back in Konoha. It was a building hidden in secret for the training of elite nin. This one was clearly older in design but still the same in fundamentals. She knew the layout of one like the back of her hand. A basement to keep non perishable foods and prisoners, first floor would be for domestic things, second for housing, and third for storage. Outside she assumed would be the training fields.

Her musings were cut off by Itachi stopping in front of a wooden door. "You will be staying here, the bathroom's adjoined but you'll be sharing."

A pink eyebrow shot up. "With who?"

Though the lower half of his face was hidden she could've sworn that he was smirking. "Deidara."

She grimaced and he left her standing there. With nothing better to do she slipped inside and shut the door. Sunlight poured in through an open window and she surveyed her room. Simple black carpet covered the floor, in one corner there was a single bed with a black quilt and crisp white sheets. A nightstand stood beside it with a small lamp resting on it. A desk sat on the opposite wall, right next to another door which she assumed to be the bathroom. The walls were white.

It was small, but held its own charm. Sighing she sat down on the bed and put her face in her hands.

_Is this really what I want? It's true that the village isn't perfect but these guys are downright evil. Still, what they do is, when you get down to it, not really all that different from, what we ninja are taught to do: survive on what you can, and do what you must to survive. If I refuse I die, but if I accept…_

"ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!"

Her head jerked up as the door slammed open and a certain blonde pyro stormed in. Kisame followed him grinning.

"Haven't you heard of knocking?" she asked as they stood there, one glaring at her the other looking as if he was about to crack up.

Deidara pointed at her. "You mean to tell me I have to live next door to that bitch?"

Kisame chuckled and said, "Leaders orders."

Sakura's eye twitched in annoyance. "Listen prima-Donna, I'm not to happy about it either, living next door to some perv with mouths on his hands isn't an inviting prospect to me…and ill be sure to be locking my doors.

"Perv?"

"Of course, no one with three mouths is entirely…wholesome-minded."

Kisame burst out laughing and Deidara stomped off through the open door.

Before the blue man left he looked at her and said, "Your something else you know that?"

"So I've been told."

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Her eyes seemed to stick closed as she groggily awakened. Last night had been full of debates with herself, half formed ideas, and rationalized excuses. She still didn't know what to do. If she joined there would be freedom, and a new lease on life. If she refused, she would die, or if she somehow managed to escape, there would be nothing left but her hollow life, back at the village.

Sighing she opened her eyes, and let out a scream. Standing over her and staring intently at her through one eye-hole, was that masked man from the day before. Furious she grabbed the lamp form her bedside table and cracked it over his head.

"WAAA! Tobi is a good boy, don't hit him!"

"GET OUT YOU CREEP!"

The boisterous stalker fled the room as her lamp sailed after his head. Getting out of bed in her uncomfortable ANBU uniform she walked toward the bathroom and knocked. No answer.

Silently she slipped inside and shut the door, locking it behind her. It was a small bathroom, with tiled floor a small shower, a toilet and sink and mirror. On the toilet seat was a set of black clothes. Sakura picked them up. _Well I doubt Deidara is my size and wears a bra…then again he does kind of look like a girl…_

She laughed at herself and locked the other door that she assumed was Deidara's.

Her sore muscles thanked her as the warm water soothed the aches and pains of the last few days. Grabbing a bottle of shampoo she washed her hair, untangling it and scrubbing out the dirt. Finally when she felt clean and refreshed she stepped out and toweled off.

The clothes fit but the shirt was a little tight. Sighing she wriggled into the soft black pants and unlocked the doors.

Her room seemed chilly after that shower as she dumped her uniform next to the bed. Soon after she was feeling bored, so she walked outside and downstairs.

Upon a whim she opened the first door she came to and found herself in a small kitchen, currently occupied by a very large plant. Yellow eyes followed her as she opened the fridge and peered at it's contents. What she saw didn't surprise her, they were all _men _after all, so the moldy blue sandwich, cartons of takeout, and miscellaneous goop hardly fazed her.

After all those years of looking after Naruto it could've been a lot worse.

Sighing she closed the refrigerator and nearly jumped out of her skin as a raspy voice said behind her, "I could cook you something if you gave this to Itachi-san."

She looked at him wearily as he pushed a wrapped package toward her.

"Err…I don't know where he is."

"Ask Tobi, he's with Deidara sharpening weapons next-door."

Shrugging she grabbed the package and walked next door. What she saw nearly had her on the floor laughing. Tobi, was hung upside down on the ceiling struggling and whining about being a 'good boy'. Deidara was graciously ignoring him, and sharpening some kunai. Upon her entry he looked up. The room was full of weapons and whetstones. She nervously rubbed her neck as piercing blue eyes looked into her own jade ones. "Err, do you know where I could find Itachi?"

Still swinging helplessly from the ceiling Tobi excitedly waved at her. "Tobi knows!"

"Shut up Tobi, if you cant even watch her like I asked, what makes you think your getting down?"

"That was YOU who told him to do that!?"

The blonde, shrugged and went back to sharpening . "I didn't want to so I asked Tobi, obviously that didn't work."

"You fucking STALKERS!" she was livid.

He ignored her and asked, "What do you want Itachi for hm?"

"The plant guy asked me to give him this."

"That's Zetsu, Itachi is the fifth door on your right up the stairs, yeah."

She thanked him in an unsure way and ran up the stairs. This place was full of fucking weirdoes…

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Her stomach, rumbling she knocked on the door. It was in a secluded corner of the building, just perfect for an anti-social, genocidal, sociopath.

She was distracted as she heard movement behind the door, but as soon as it opened, the occupant had her full attention.

There, in the doorway, stood the most notorious criminal in the Fire country…wearing nothing but a towel. His long ravens hair hung wet down his back. Her eyes traveled up his toned, muscular legs, paused at the towel and continued up, his lean, equally muscled torso. That cloak he usually wore, left a lot to the imagination… Finally her eyes met his face. Under his ebony eyes, there were creases. On any other man it would have made him look older, but not Itachi. On his face it made him more masculine, and deadly sexy…

"Can I help you?"

She fought down a blush and held out the package. "Zetsu told me to give you this."

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Behind the closed door Itachi smirked. Working your way into a persons mind, required a knowledge of what unsettled them. Gaining a hold on this girl mentally, was going to be a cakewalk._ So she approves of me physically…hmf, women are so fickle…_

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_**So things got interesting in this chapter --winks suggestively--. Come on you know you have all had your own fantasies of naked Itachi! **_


	4. Hesitation

-1_**Warnings: rated M for language violence and sexy situations ; )**_

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This was it. Sakura's decision had been made. She was being led toward the 'Leader'. Last night she finally knew what she was going to do.

The shadowed man glared at her with opaque eyes.

"Well Haruno Sakura, what is your decision?"

She looked down at the floor, she was betraying herself and her village…

_Naruto, Kakashi…Tsunade-Shishou …_

"Well?"

Feeling dead inside she looked up. "I accept."

The Leader pushed a wrapped bundle toward her. "You will be trained in our ways. You shall be apprenticed to a member."

"Who?"

"It is, as yet, undecided."

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Somehow she found herself outside. The bundle still lay unwrapped by her side. The outside of the compound was a wide field, covered in thick green grass. She looked at the trees that were scattered across the expanse of field and felt a prickly sensation in her nose. There was no going back now…she had become one of the Akatsuki.

_In a way, I think I'm doing the right thing…I mean back home, I would have gone mad from all the injustice…I might've lowered myself to these guys' standards and killed someone precious to me. If I get out now then I will have room to think about this…I can pull out if I wanted to…I have the skill to evade them…but the village would never take me back. Too bad. It would put them in danger if I fled back there anyways…_

"Having second thoughts already?"

She didn't look up as Deidara sat beside her. "What makes you say that?"

"Your crying."

She blinked and realized silent tears were indeed streaming down her face.

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Deidara's artist' eyes picked up every detail of her face as those tears slid down her cheeks. This girl was truly beautiful. Slim, lean build, mild curves, pretty face stunning eyes and hair that looked feather soft.

Her build was that of a shinobi, her face that of a masterpiece. He had heard of her training under one of the Sannin. Had they allowed her to stay she would have become a renound Leaf kunoichi. But now she would become a more renound S-class criminal.

Her delicate hands wiped away the tears and she said, "Why did you join?"

He snorted and stood up, "Why did you?"

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Sakura nervously sat down at the counter in the kitchen. She had been told that the room she had punched a hole into was for meetings and here is where they ate.

There where three others in the room, Itachi, Kisame, and for some reason Tobi. Kisame was talking to Itachi, who was looking disinterested, and Tobi…was being Tobi.

"We will not hesitate to kill, I hope you know that."

Her head jerked up and she saw Itachi, staring into her eyes with a blank intensity.

"Don't count me out, I have killed before, I am a shinobi after all."

"Yes but you have shown regret, and that is a sign of weakness."

Her eyes blazed. Who did this asshole Uchiha think he was talking to, the girl next-door? "Just because I have emotion dose not mean I am weak."

He tilted his head to the side. Kisame was watching them with interest while Tobi had stopped his ADD escapades to watch too.

"But it does mean you would hesitate, we cannot have that now can we?"

Sakura had had it with the Uchiha brats. First Sasuke now him. She stood up and the stool clattered to the ground, her face was shining with anger. "If you think I have hesitation problems, I wont _hesitate _to call you out on it!"

For a moment his ebony eyes flashed red as they became the feared Sharingan. He moved so fast she didn't see it but one second she was standing, ready to pound the smugness out of him, and the next she was pinned to the wall. His hand was on her throat, and his knee pinned her thigh to the wall.

His eyes blazed and he moved closer.

"I wouldn't advise it."

She let out a strangled gasp as his hips crushed hers against the wall. _What…the hell?_

Then he was gone.

Kisame looked at her smugly. "Don't take on Itachi, girly, he can fuck your mind like you wouldn't believe."

She ignored him and rubbed her neck. There would be a bruise there, to match the one on her thigh. Kisame laughed in a raspy voice, and Tobi scurried out of the room. Sakura stalked out after him.

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"What is it Itachi?"

The leader sat by his desk. He would be departing this very evening and assigning the girl's trainer.

"I will take on the new girl as my apprentice."

The leader cocked his head to the side and looked at him.

"Why do you say this?"

Itachi was expressionless behind the high collar of his cloak. "She will have second thoughts…I can get inside her head and make her completely loyal."

There was a pause.

"Very well, I'll leave her to you, you have two weeks to train her for a mission."

Itachi nodded and departed without a word. _I like a challenge…_

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_**So as pr request and promise here is the new chapter! Review please so that I know I am worthy of your time and reading skills! LOL XD**_

_**Next Chapter: Training begins, Sakura opens the package, and there is a visit from an old friend…**_


	5. Adequit

-1_**Warnings: rated M for language violence and sexy situations ; )**_

_**Authors Note: Please don't hurt me!!! I have cut off the 'old friend' scene in the chapter. don't worry! It'll come up in a couple chapters I promise! Erm…now on to the fic!**_

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Sleep it seemed, had just taken her with comforting arms when Sakura was forced awake by a pressure around her midriff and chest. Gasping she looked up, into the face of Itachi.

He was wearing his Akatsuki cloak, which covered the lower half of his face, and was holding a kunai very close to her face. "Time to arise."

She would've sworn at him but his knee was pressed to her ribcage constricting her breathing, while his other knee rested beside her hip.

"Never be caught unawares, even in sleep."

Despite his cold words, and very impersonal; wake-up call, Sakura noticed he was near some very…_personal_ areas.

Noticing she was awake he smoothly jumped off of the bed leaving her to wheeze some very colorful curse words at him.

He promptly ignored them and said to her, "Open the package you were given yesterday, dress and meet me outside in 10 minutes."

Silently he departed.

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Sakura looked at the black cloak with red clouds and dark pink ring that lay on her mattress. She was dressed, and now looked at the rings writing. _Sky…this was Orochimaru's old ring…they must have redone it. _

Breathing quickly she donned the cloak. It was unlike the others, it was far more form-fitting and clung to her curved form warmly. The high collar brushed against her chin, she enjoyed the soft, warm material. Lastly, and with some hesitation she slipped the ring onto her right ring finger, and pinned up her hair. Shorter sections fell to frame her face but that didn't matter, Sakura felt good.

Holding herself up with an air of dignity she stepped outside the room.

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Itachi's eyes traveled up and down the outspoken kunoichi. He hadn't suspected a woman would look so good in uniform…

Distracting himself he said, "One last thing…"

Her jade eyes widened as his hand rose to eye level holding her headband. In the other was the kunai that had previously been held to her throat.

Silently she took them both and drew a long thin scratch over the Leaf symbol. She had just declared herself a missing nin. This was real.

His eyes followed her every move as she slowly and carefully tied it atop her pink tresses bandana style. The finished effect was stunning.

His ebony eyes took it all in. the cloak fitted perfectly to her curved form, the high collar brushing the bottom of her chin, the bottom of it stopping just above her sandaled feet.

He had always wondered why they had made a woman's cloak just in case…

Itachi nodded to her in approval and set off down the hall.

Sakura followed him, confused. "I take that I'm your…"

"Apprentice, yes."

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Well Sakura couldn't pretend that she wasn't surprised. She was about to be shown the ways of the Akatsuki by none other than Uchiha Itachi. His genius was talked about from north to south, far and wide, even if he was evil. He was an Uchiha, heir to the Sharingan, at age 13 he was head of ANBU, at 7 he graduated, at 8 he activated the Sharingan.

_He may be a total mind-raping jackass, but at least he's good at what he does. _

They had found themselves in the field she had been sitting in the day before. She kept a close watch on him as they walked over to some stumps similar to those in Konoha. He cocked his head to the side and gestured to them. "Show me what you can do."

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Sweating, panting and filthy she knelt before the cloaked man before her. His katana was at her throat, and her kunai was held up to his chest.

Their skill-testing battle had uprooted trees, sent wide hell-beckoning cracks in the earth, and basically destroyed the training field.

He had the Sharingan and she had her strength and speed. They were both skilled but she was no where near as experienced.

"What's all the damned racket, yeah?"

Neither of them looked away from the target but both knew Deidara had appeared. Sakura took this short reprieve to sweep her foot under his feet. He was thrown temporarily off guard but immediately folded into a nonchalant back-flip.

She stood.

Itachi's ebony eyes glared at her before he sheathed his katana. "We're finished for today."

Deidara looked from her, to the departing Itachi and then to the torn up training field. "Was this you?"

She winced as she popped a dislocated hip back into place and said to him, "Most of it but the tree was Itachi's damned genjutsu backfiring."

He glared at Sakura when she walked past him. "Do you know how long it'll take me to clean this up yeah?"

Jade eyes flashed wickedly. "Just wait for tomorrow Deidara-_sempai._"

Deidara's eyes narrowed at her emphasis on sempai. She was mocking him he knew, but he did nothing as the girl in the cloak Sasori had designed disappeared through the compound door.

From the outside it was a concrete building about the size of the Hokage's building in Konoha. The Akatsuki were using it temporarily, and had hidden it to blend it into an old abandoned mountainside. Deidara glared at her handiwork and sat down on a stone step.

_So Itachi took her on eh? The poor bastard… then again he can easily knock her down a few pegs, I wish he'd do it sooner…_

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She was good. She knew how to conserve her chakra and use it at the right times. Her nin jutsu, and genjutsu arsenals were impressive and suited her own personal style, and her taijutsu was perfected to almost an art.

In Itachi's eyes, Sakura was almost adequate, which to any normal nin was phenomenal. The Akatsuki had chosen well. Now she was holed up in her room with the scrolls he had given her to read. That girl was quite the conundrum…one moment she was ready to tear your head off, the next, she was meek as a puppy that had been swatted on the nose with a rolled up newspaper.

He couldn't quite understand her thoughts yet, but his chance would soon come…he was sure of it. Time to exploit her…_approval…_

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_**Itachi you sick bastard what are you thinking?! Well I guess I kind of know but still! Anyway please send me reviews, and I am sincerely sorry for the shortness of this chapter….I'll make the next one a little longer to make up for it!**_


	6. Boom Boom Boom

-1_**Warnings: rated M for language violence and sexy situations ; )**_

_**So in this chapter, we come back in and if you remember the authors note at the end of the last chapter, I implied Itachi was going to intimidate poor Sakura (poor Sakura? 0-o)**_

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Her feet silently padded along chilled corridors, and down the stairs. The kitchen was empty, as it should be and she thanked the heavens that it was. Her tired fingers reached for a package of instant ramen, and Sakura set a pot of boiling water on the stove. "Suffering from insomnia are we?"

Her fingers slipped, and she swore as hot water burned her hand. "What do you want?" She turned around to see who she wanted to see the absolute least: Itachi. Her curious eyes took in his attire, before now she had only seen him in his cloak, and in a towel (quite frankly the latter was much less appealing), and this was…odd to say the least. He was wearing baggy black pants that settled low on his hips, and an equally baggy black T-shirt, almost like pajamas…if maniacs actually wore pajamas….which they didn't. His ravens hair hung down his back, and the Sharingan was activated. The red, contrasted against all the black he was wearing, was stunning.

He quirked his lips into a smile. "Clearly you have very poor manners."

"And clearly you have no respect for personal space!"

She glared at him as she sucked on her burned fingers.

"Now what's with all this hostility?"

He had moved closer and leaned against the island counter.

"You're a total psycho, and murdered my teammates and friends…not to mention kidnapped me, oh and lets not forget the Uchiha clan massacre."

He cocked his head to one side. "You are truly infuriating."

Suddenly he was right in front of her, hands on either side of the stove, effectively caging her there. He moved his face so close to her own that she could feel his breath tickle her hair.

"Your water's about to boil, kunoichi."

She gulped as she heard the stove knob click. With a smirk he backed away and slouched his way out of the room.

Frustrated and flustered she turned the stove back on and dumped the ramen into the water.

_What the hell was that all about? Is this just one of his fucked up mind games? The sick bastard! _

As she shoveled ramen into her mouth her mind merrily skipped back to his scent. It was dark, and efficient, yet alluring and masculine…she couldn't help but feel there was a hint of strawberries…_No! this is just a sick, sick mind game he's trying to get you sucked into!_

She nearly choked on her ramen when Inner Sakura popped up in her head and began to whine about how the strawberries, mixed so well with him…

She hadn't seen Inner Sakura in years! Forcibly she pushed the rude crude, and perverted Inner Sakura back down into the murky depths from which she had sprung.

Hastily she slammed the bowl into the sink, shattering it, and stomped upstairs to shower.

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"Hurry up yeah!"

"Shut up I just got in here!"

"If you don't get out I'll blow down the door yeah!"

"Go away!"

Sakura yelped as a small explosion blew the door off its flimsy hinges. She stumbled out of the shower and hastily wrapped a towel around herself. Deidara stood in the doorway, his blue eyes lazily traveling up and down her body.

"I did warn you."

Without a word she grabbed her clothes and slid out of the bathroom. He would get his just deserves in about three…two…one.

BOOM!

She ducked as pieces of the door and bathtub rained down on her. Those exploding notes sure did come in handy…

Deidara stumbled out. His hair was puffed out like a white man's afro, his cloak was singed, and he was absolutely _livid._

"You little _bitch!"_

She backed away as he stepped closer and pulled the towel tighter around herself.

Suddenly her door flew open with a bang, and there stood Itachi. That was all she saw before a grey blur whizzed past her head and thanked into the wall, barely a centimeter from her head. His eyes paused on her towel covered body then slid over to the singed and infuriated Deidara.

His eyes narrowed, and Kisame barreled in sword aloft. "What's wrong? Are we being attacked?"

"NO THIS BITCH JUST BLEW UP THE BATHROOM!"

She fought back a smile as Kisame clutched his gut, howling with laughter.

"You don't have time for childish pranks, training starts early now that you got me up. Meet me in the training field in 10 minutes."

He said not a word more and swiftly disappeared.

Deidara snarled and moved forward to choke her, but another grey blur flew past his head, shaving off a slice of singed hair. And landing in the wall next to the first set of shuriken. He glared at the empty doorway, then at the still laughing Kisame, and finally at her before stomping off through the tattered remains of a door.

Turning to Kisame she saw that his eyes were roaming over her body lazily, lingering on all the wrong places. "Get out, I'm going to be late."

"I don't see why you have to get dressed", he said, "Why don't you surprise Itachi and show up naked?" his mouth quirked into a spiky toothed grin, but he quickly ducked out of the room as a chair sailed past his head.

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"Take this."

She reached up and caught the katana he had thrown at her.

"I can handle a sword you know."

He unsheathed his blade and stood before her.

They had abandoned their cloaks, for they would get in the way here, he was wearing a form-fitting black shirt that was coated in netting, and black pants. His kunai pouch was tied to his right thigh and his shuriken pouch to his belt, next to his katana sheath.

He placed the tip of his blade down in the soil. "Yes but your skills are mediocre."

She cocked her head to the side and fastened the sheath around her waist. She had dressed in tight. Black pants and an equally tight red tank top. It was the only clothing she could find in the compound.

"Oh really?" squinting against the sunlight she brought the beautiful weapon out of its sheath and held if before her, in ready battle stance.

Snorting he moved, lightning fast, almost managing to cut into her side. But she blocked it last second and retaliated by swinging her blade in a wide arc, towards his neck. He blocked it and kicked out at her midriff with painful accuracy. She gasped as the blow knocked the wind out of her. And sent her flying. The ground was unforgiving hard, and incredibly bumpy, and she hit it with full force.

Wasting no time she back-flipped up and blocked his third strike, this time aimed at her legs. She spat out a luggie, consisting of phlegm and blood and landed a decent punch to his jugular notch. His eyes widened and he flew up to the one tree. No doubt she had just crushed his larynx, cutting off his ability to speak, and he would have a hard time breathing.

Grinning she poured chakra into the blade and hacked into the tree. It split in two as if it was warm butter, and Itachi flew at her. This was far from over.

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Deidara, Tobi, Zetsu, and Kisame, all fled out of the way as a huge chunk of earth flew in their direction. Kisame spoke up, "Itachi-san don't you think you should stop for now?"

His beady shark's eyes flicked from Itachi to Sakura and back again. Both were dirty sweaty and beaten, and the training field…well lets just say it had seen better days.

Itachi, who had Sakura pinned to the ground, looked up, and unable to speak, he slowly nodded. Sakura, who was now free of his deadweight got up and walked past a snickering Deidara, whom she was glad to see still had a large chunk of singed hair visible.

A hand on her shoulder stopped her as she stood on the doors threshold. Itachi was there, raising an eyebrow and pointing to his throat. She smiled, and held up a hand that was glowing, with green chakra.

As it touched his skin she felt him flinch, but soon he was healed.

_This kunoichi is something else._

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_**Okay I hope this is long enough!!! And to those of you who wished to see more of their training I hope this was sufficient! Please review, and tell me how I am doing so far!**_


	7. Indulgence

-1_**Warnings: rated M for language violence and sexy situations ; )**_

_**Hello my faithful readers!!! Just a heads up here: any fanart, or anything like that is more than welcome!! **_

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Itachi squatted on the post of his bed and closed his worn, fathomless, black eyes. They had suffered much wear and tear from the Sharingan. Perhaps the medic could heal them…but then again perhaps not. A smile played over his lips, he had been training her relentlessly, for a little over a week, and today, she would learn the subtle art of torture. _With her medical expertise she knows the human body better than anyone here. She knows all vital points, weak spots, and most likely the key points of torture. Still, she is a woman…most likely scenario: she wont last one hour._

Taking a deep breath he jumped down from his perch and donned the thick red and black cloak. Time to wake her up.

Lately she had taken on an annoying habit of trying to thwart his attempts to rouse her. Just yesterday he had opened the door to find thin, metallic wires strung all over the room. He cut through them and avoided the traps with ease of course but, none the less it was still annoying.

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Sakura curled up under the blankets and snuggled deeper into their warmth. Forget training. She needed sleep. For the past seven days it was stay up till midnight and wake up at dawn. She was tired of it, quite literally. Today would be one of rest, whether Itachi liked it or not. She curled up tighter when she heard the door open and close again.

"Arise kunoichi."

Ignoring his request she replied, "I have a name. It's Sakura."

"If you don't get up I'll have to force you."

"I'd like to see you try."

"Is that a challenge?"

"No, it's a 'go away and leave me alone' message that you don't seem to be getting."

She felt a hand slide over the soft skin of her neck and firmly grasped her there. She reached up swiftly and twisted the hand that held her around. Her sleep fogged green eyes, met his red Sharingan ones, and she pushed him away. He grabbed her wrists and dragged her off the mattress. She was now held aloft by Itachi, her tousled pink locks were getting longer he saw. But that was all he saw before her legs tripped him up. He stumbled back and let her go. She was standing and glaring at him with sleepy distaste.

He moved so fast she couldn't see him, but knew he was behind her, so she spun around and lashed out with a chakra strengthened foot. He was there, and dodged her deadly attack. Sakura's fist aimed for his face, but was blocked. She tried to pull away, but he twisted her fist and with it her arm, turning her around so that her back was to his front. His other hand found its way to her other arm. Now she was rendered immobile, and she had been disarmed with so little effort that it shamed her.

His lips hovered near her ear, and she felt his warm breath tickle her ear lobe. The smell of him, and strawberries filled her nostrils.

"The Akatsuki don't have time for sleep…Sakura."

At his words a dangerous tingle swept up her spine, and sent her stomach into a sickening fit. She gulped and replied, "Very well, I will be out momentarily."

_What the hell was that all about?_

He left her there in the semi-darkness, while confused thoughts roiled around in her head.

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"You sick son of a bitch!"

Itachi cocked his head to the side, as his apprentice and conundrum dropped her cloak to the floor and began to pace the small dark room. He watched her closely. He found it fascinating how her shoulder length pink locks swung from side to side, with her body movements. He had begun to notice her habits over these past few days. Now she was beginning to show she was agitated by crossing her arms over her chest and bringing one hand up to her neck.

"Your going to make me torture that man when he has done nothing to you!?"

He cocked his head to the side as she stopped pacing and placed her hands on her hips. "Yes is that a problem?"

"YES IT IS!"

"And why is that?"

He exited the room so she was forced to follow.

"I don't know…maybe because there is no reason for it!"

He rounded a corner and she started to jog to keep up.

"This should not bother you kunoi---Sakura."

"Why not?"

He had come to the kitchen and sat down next to a bowl of strawberries.

Her eyes slid from his face to the fruit and she paled a shade. _Is this why he smells like strawberries?_

Removing the thick red and black cloak and slinging over the back of his chair he picked up a strawberry and rolled the fruit around in his hand.

"It is mere practice Sakura. This man is nothing more than another human being who means nothing to you personally. Why do you insist on being chivalrous when clearly you have thrown away that part of your life?"

She bit her lip and sat across from him. He looked at her, taking in how the smooth features of her pretty face shifted and changed a little. Her eyebrows slanted downward and her full lips molded themselves into a thoughtful pout. Her jade eyes looked up from the table and fell on the fruit in his hand. Curious he lifted it to his lips and bit into it. He enjoyed the sweet tangy taste.

Seeing that she sighed and said, "Even if I have thrown away my old life Itachi, I still hold some morals."

He blinked and took another strawberry. This one was sweeter than the first. "Funny, when I threw my old life away I felt no remorse at all. My morals have changed along with me."

She crossed her arms on the counter and looked down. "Yes but you threw your life away for a completely different reason. And I have no reason to change my morals."

He grunted and bit into another strawberry. "I think Sakura that you are not doing this for yourself but still for the others around you. Isn't that how you lived in Konoha? Always doing for others and not yourself?"

She looked into his coal-black eyes and said with as much venom as she could muster, "You know nothing of my life back there!"

"No but I can guess. Sakura you need to stop thinking of others so much. Indulge a little." he cocked his head to the side and tossed a strawberry at her. She caught it and looked at the fruit then back at him, but he was no longer sitting in his seat. Sakura made to turn around but breath tickling her ear stopped her movements. Familiar arms came around either side of her, and even more familiar hands came to rest very close to her own.

"Indulgence is one of life's little gifts Sakura, take advantage of it." Her breath hitched and her heart raced as his hand came over her own which held the strawberry and guided it to her mouth. She gulped but his hand fell away and she felt his presence fade as he left the room.

Only when his chakra signature was far from her own did she take a bite of the bittersweet fruit.

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Sakura splashed icy cold water over her face and reached for a towel. She knew that eventually she would go and torture the man but for now she just needed time to clear her head. She had repaired the bathroom, and had threatened not to fix it the next time if Deidara made a fuss about it again.

He had talked to her briefly a couple of times over the week but mostly stayed in his room. Out of mild curiosity and raging boredom she walked next door and knocked.

She nervously scratched the back of her neck, and ran her hand across her smooth shoulder. But then the door opened and a sleepy looking Deidara answered.

_Lucky bastard…I bet he didn't have an asshole of an Akatsuki sensei._

His hair was down and hung down his back in a messy bundle.

"What do you want hm?"

"Err…I hear you're an artist."

He rolled his blue eyes, "So I've been told."

"Do you paint at all?"

"Look if you came here for small talk I have better things to do."

She frowned. "I was just curious."

He seemed like he would want nothing more than to slam the door in her face, but relented and said, "Come back tomorrow yeah…I'll show you something."

She blinked then nodded and he shut the door.

Sakura sighed and ran her hand through her thick pink hair. Now there was little she could do to put off the inevitable.

Dreading what she would have to do she knocked on Itachi's door. When he answered she looked down. "Your ready I take it?"

Without a word she nodded and followed him to the basement and a small cell.

"Do whatever you must except kill him to find out, where he saw an ANBU squad."

"ANBU?"

He smiled. "It appears you are missed."

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_**I'm really sorry for cutting off the torture scene!!! If you really want me to write out the scene tell me in the reviews and ill write some of it next chapter! So review and tell me what you think! Please and thank you!**_

_**Kakashi'sGirl101**_


	8. Prices

-1_**Warnings: rated M for language violence and sexy situations ; )**_

_**Hello my faithful readers!!! Just a heads up here: any fanart, or anything like that is more than welcome!! TORTURE, TORTURE, TORTURE!!! Well since most all of my reviews have said 'thumbs up' for the torture scene so…those with a weak stomach should leave the computer screen.**_

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Sakura held up the senbon with shaky fingers and walked over to stand beside the man. He was strapped to a stone table. He looked to be about in his mid thirties, slightly balding, looked like a family man. Perfect.

He gazed at her with forlorn brown eyes. "Please let me go…I have nothing to offer you people." his voice came out as a mere rasp.

She leaned against the table casually and flipped the senbon every which way with her skilled fingers. "Oh but I think you do have something to offer us." He looked away, a tell tale sign he was holding back. "Like what?"

"Information." The man flinched. "I already told that blue man with the gills, I don't know anything about those masked ninja you keep talking about!"

As he shouted the last words she smoothly drove the long needle into the groove of his bone, right under his wrist. The man howled in pain. Sakura swallowed hard.

It was sick what she was doing, and still, she could do much worse to this man. "Are you sure about that?" A shudder rippled through the mans muscle system. Her medic's eyes picked up everything about his body. The calluses on his hands indicated he was a farmer, his tendons had recently been strained, so he had most likely been plowing. Most likely they would be tender.

He started to pant and said, "I truly know nothing!"

Sakura crossed her arms and started to fiddle with another senbon. "Why do you insist on holding back? I want to get this done quickly."

He moved his head to look at her. "Are you going to kill me?"

Was that a note of hope in his voice?

"I wouldn't dream of it." Sakura hated the menace that dripped of her words. Still she ignored herself and drove the senbon sideways through his Achilles tendon. He screamed in pain and writhed against this constraints. She looked him over. Only two senbon in his flesh and already he was squirming like a child. He would be easy to break.

She pulled out a kunai and calmly wedged it into his elbow joint. Blood started to seep around the wound as her efforts were awarded with another blood-curdling howl.

"Where did you see them?"

"I didn't!"

"Why do you keep on holding this back?"

Beads of sweat popped up on his wrinkled forehead. "I have my reasons."

Sakura cocked her head to the side and looked at the thick crimson liquid pooled around his restrained body and dripped ominously to the stone floor.

Another senbon sank into his knee, effectively striking the jangle of nerves there. He convulsed and panted heavily.

"And what would those reasons be?"

"I would tell you why?"

Her response was another kunai in his opposite elbow. More blood began to drip around him and he screamed again. "Do you really need an answer form me?"

"I--would l--like one y--yes ."

She grabbed another kunai and carved a complicated pattern into the bare skin on his chest. He screamed, and the blood began to flow. "Well, I rather need this answer."

The kunai plunged into the rib right under his lungs. He convulsed again, and his eyes rolled back into his head. "My--son." he croaked.

Sakura tossed a kunai into the air and caught it. "What about him?"

He coughed and a spurt of blood flecked her arm. "He's with…ANBU."

"Ah I see, and where did you last see him?"

"Why--do you--c-care?"

"I have my reasons." His eyes widened in panic and he struggled against the restraints, gasping in pain as the weapons lodged in his flesh shifted with him. "Your not after him are you?"

"No, tell me where he is."

He paused. Sakura plunged the kunai into his other knee. He screamed. "I-In a town…I don't know where, but its called, Araki Town."

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"Tsunade-sama, the hunter-nin located the missing squads position, and…"

The blonde haired honey-eyed woman nervously cracked her knuckles. "And what, Shizune?"

"They…they…"

Tsunade's eye twitched and the meek brunette shrank back against the door frame. "Don't beat around the bush dammit!"

"Well, the bodies , of Arachi Hanabo and…Churiki Yuki were found…they had been stabbed once each through the heart…they died instantly."

Shizune just managed to dodge the chair thrown in her general direction. "AND WHAT ABOUT SAKURA?"

"T-they don't know Hokage-sama! The only sign of her was a huge crack in the earth, but then…nothing!"

"I WANT HER FOUND!"

"I know Tsunade-sama! I have already dispatched four squads of hunter-nin, and three of ANBU!"

The furious blonde slammed her fist down onto her desk and the poor wooden structure collapsed to splinters.

"Get Kakashi, Sasuke and Naruto in here _now._"

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Itachi watched her closely as she stepped out of the room and calmly wiped her bloodied hands on a towel. She looked calm cool and collected. Not like the girl who threw a fit at the mere prospect of torturing this man. After the screams he just heard from the room, he might have suspected an expert had just set to work. But this was not the case. She was a naive little girl who had gotten in way over her head by joining the Akatsuki. He knew the kunoichi wouldn't last long here. Most likely she would go crawling back to her village after a month or so. Right now she looked sick and pale.

The Uchiha smirked. "Well?"

"Araki Town."

He nodded and strode off in the opposite direction, but could still here the retching noises as she threw up the remains of the strawberry he knew she had eaten.

_Well indulgence has its prices…as does selling your soul to the metaphorical Devil… I wonder if this girl can pay the price?_

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_**Well how was it? Torturous enough for you? I hope so because I'm neglecting my homework for this! So please review and tell me if I'm doing alright so far! **_


	9. And Time Makes Fools of us All

-1_**Warnings: rated M for language violence and sexy situations ; )**_

_**Hello my faithful readers!!! Just a heads up here: any fanart, or anything like that is more than welcome!! Well, this is a new kind of chapter 4 me sp tell me watcha think ! **_

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"Itachi, have the Leaf nin been located?" asked the hawk. Itachi blinked as it alighted on his shoulder. He never much liked the Leader's version of sending a message. Somehow possessing an animal to speak to your comrades was a little creepy to the raven-haired man. He did not flinch as the bids talons alighted and sank into the cloaks material and bit into his flesh. "Yes, the girl and I will be departing tomorrow." The hawk glared into his black eyes with his own amber ones. "Your taking the trainee? She was a Leaf shinobi, it will call unnecessary attention to us."

Itachi plucked the hawk from his shoulder and set it down on the stone on which he was sitting. "I am training her, its my call. It would be good practice for her."

"Are you questioning my authority?"

"Are you questioning mine?"

The hawk screeched. "Watch yourself Uchiha."

Itachi picked up the innocent bird which held his leaders voice and grasped its fragile neck. "Likewise." His fingers twitched and he snapped its neck. The bird's lifeless body fell to the ground and he felt the Leaders chakra leave the field.

He arose from his seat and walked back towards the compound. Perhaps taking the girl would be foolish…there was a very real chance she would know her pursuers…emotions could interfere. He smirked, all the more reason to bring her. Numbing her heart could only make her stronger. It had made him stronger. He reached up and unbuttoned his cloak. It opened and flew back around his shoulders, revealing his black net shirt, and equally black pants. His toes curled pleasantly as the grass tickled them. It was a bright sunny day. Terrible for cover.

He paused near the training field. Someone was sparring. Curious he jumped up on a tree branch and watched.

"I told you I would show you something!" said Deidara as he lunged at the pink haired kunoichi. Her cloak had been removed. She dodged and quickly pulled out a kunai. It was such a fast movement he almost missed it. Deidara sensed the metal instrument close in on his back and he ducked down and kicked her in the small of her back. She started to fall but rolled with the impact and alighted on her feet once again. Her pink hair was flowing freely around her shoulders. The wind swept up and made it whip around her face. Itachi watched closely as she pushed it out of her eyes. She was smiling.

"When you said that I assumed you meant art."

The blonde grinned madly. "Fighting is considered art were I come from."

Sakura laughed harshly. Itachi activated his Sharingan and watched her hand signs closely. Hmm fire style…interesting. To his Sharingan eye it all happened in slow motion, and in cryptic detail, but to her opponent it was blindingly fast, and almost un-seeable.

She spun around in a deadly pirouette. Flames danced out of her hands and swirled around her body in a dazzling dance of light and heat. The flames spread and grew toward Deidara. He cursed and dived out of the way. She stopped her intoxicating dance and grinned. "That will be the second time I've burned your hair Deidara."

He looked at his singed locks, then over to her. "Hmm, that would call for an evening out wouldnt you say?" he opened the clenched fist of his hand and three white blurs sprang forth. Sakura dodged them and disappeared as the small explosions detonated one by one. He grinned, "Come now, don't hide from me, I wont bite…a lot."

A hand shot out from the earth and grasped his ankle. He could see the chakra flowing through her grip. Deidara's eyes widened in shock as he was pulled underground. The kunoichi reappeared in front of his head, the only part of him that was still visible. Just as she was going to say something, Deidara's head disappeared with a 'poof', in its place a log.

The kunoichi realized her mistake far to late. Even as she made to jump away, Deidara was sitting on her back, both of her hands twisted around in his grasp. She struggled and squirmed but he held her fast.

"So kunoichi, was that artistic enough?"

"My name is Sakura! Get off of me you bastard!" He laughed loudly at her response. "What's the magic word?"

"Asshole?"

"Ah so close but no."

Itachi slid off of the tree branch. Deidara looked up. He and the Uchiha had never gotten along, but they tolerated each other to say the least. "Kunoichi, I require your assistance." he said.

Deidara sat up and Sakura sat upright next to him. Her cheeks were flushed and she began to laugh.

Itachi blinked. A memory started to come back to him, it was fuzzy at first then he saw it in sharp clarity:

_-_

"_Father, must you set me with such a mediocre task as walking Sasuke home from school?" Itachi asked as he stuffed his hands into his pockets. "Itachi I ask nothing of you, this will be the first time I've asked you to do anything."_

_The teenage ANBU captain grunted and walked out the door without another word. He was still having some trouble reining in his emotions, but it would all come in time. Such was the training of a shinobi. He spoke to no one, and acknowledged no one as he walked through Konoha. Very few dared speak to him. He didn't blame them, he carried an air of indifference, and chilling cruelty most of the time. The little children at the playground looked at him, in his ANBU armor, and scattered to the other side. _

_He sighed and crossed his arms. Where was that little runt?_

_Suddenly he felt a small impact around his legs. His black eyes looked down into the jade eyes of a little pink haired girl. She had her hair tied back into a big red bow. How childish. "I-I'm s-sorry!" she blushed and looked down. Flowers were scattered around her feet. Flustered she knelt to pick them up. _

_He cocked his head to the side, surely she couldn't be any older than Sasuke. "Be careful, a shinobi must always be on their toes."_

_The little girl looked up at him, pink hair mussed, cheeks flushed, and she smiled….blindingly bright. "I know! I want to be like you, and all the great shinobi in the Fire Country!" _

_A woman across the playground waved in their direction, and he heard: "Sakura! Time to go home now!" The little girl giggled and smiled at him once more. "By mister! Sorry for bothering you!" _

_With that she ran off with a handful of white flowers, red bow askew, towards the woman._

_Seconds later his little brother walked up to him. "Brother, what are you doing here?" the young boy asked._

_Itachi gazed down at him. "Who was that girl Sasuke?"_

_His nose wrinkled and he glared after the two people leaving the playground. "Haruno Sakura…she's annoying."_

"_Hmph…" he started to walk in the opposite direction and his younger brother jogged after him._

-

"I-T-A-C-H-I!!!!!!!" shouted Deidara's voice.

He blinked and looked around. Sakura had stood up and was looking at him as if he were crazy. Well he probably was, but still…

"Yes Deidara?"

"I said, what is it you need her for?"

"Training."

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"Naruto stand still." Whispered a raven haired man.

The blonde, in jounin uniform that stood next to him stiffened. "Easy for you to say."

A third man with spiky silver hair shushed them both. "Quiet! Do you want to ruin are one possible chance at finding Sakura?"

Both fell silent.

Rain had started to fall in sheets, and cold air chilled them all to the bone. After Tsunade had ordered them to track Sakura, it had led them across the Shinobi nation, now they stood on the soil of Rouge Country.

Sasuke flinched as a drop of rain fell upon the bridge of his nose. Naruto noticed his reaction and let out an aggravated snarl. "What do those bastards want with her?!"

They all knew some very possible answers. It was either her medical expertise, or bait for Naruto. Either way, their little cherry blossom was probably in the hands of the dreaded Akatsuki.

Kakashi pushed back his wet mane of silver hair form his face. Over the years after her parents died she had become more and more reserved. Like a part of her had died. She spoke only when spoken to, rarely smiled, and hardly ever spoke to Tsunade. He knew why of course. She had always been so naive, and to find out the Hokage wouldn't act on the death of two shinobi had shocked her into the reality of the ninja. They were tools, to be used when needed, and never cared for by the Kage. Not all of that was entirely true…but to Sakura…it all seemed horribly true. Kakashi remembered how she used to be. Always smiling, laughing, making light of the life that dredged so many down into pits of despair. It had hurt him to see her become like them.

"Kakashi!" whispered Sasuke.

He looked up.

There in front of them stood two cloaked figures. Akatsuki.

One of them wore a straw hat. The other's head was visible. "No…" Kakashi whispered.

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Sakura stood mutely before her former teammates. She knew they would find out eventually…but she didn't want them to find out like this. On the verge of tears she made to take a step back, but Itachi's arm stopped her and pushed her forward.

"Sakura-chan!" shouted Naruto. A tear ran down her face as he stepped forward. Sasuke looked from her to the man beside her. Sakura could almost hear the cogs in his brain click together.

"Run Sakura! Get out of here, we'll get you home!"

That was it. She started to cry softly. Itachi smirked under his hat and let it fall to the ground. "She chose this of her own free will."

"Over what?!" snarled Sasuke, "Death?"

"Yes."

Sasuke let out a cry and formed the hand seals for the Chidori.

Kakashi threw out a hand to stop him.

Naruto ignored them both and ran forward to attack the Uchiha. Itachi dodged the punch and pulled out a kunai. Sakura saw it all in slow motion, like a movie…a horror movie. She heard herself cry out, felt herself move, but the deadly metal weapon sank into the boy's flesh. Her eyes fogged over as she saw the blood fly.

"Let this be a warning. Chasing after the Akatsuki is futile."

Sakura remembered Sasuke's eyes burning into her own, Kakashi fighting not to run forward, and fighting to keep Sasuke back form Naruto. She barely felt the strong arm that wrapped around her middle, pulling her away from the scene. The last thing she saw was Sasuke falling to his knees next to Naruto's body.

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_**Sorry for the late update!!! I hope this was long enough! Please review and tell me how this was so I can improve!**_


	10. Respect

-1_**Warnings: rated M for language violence and sexy situations ; )**_

_**Hello my faithful readers!!! Just a heads up here: any fanart, or anything like that is more than welcome!! So, this one was kind of hard to write, because I normally don't write this sort of thing but I tried! **_

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Sakura hardly noticed herself being carried through the treetops, all she could think about was Naruto, and, the kunai sinking into his flesh…the blood flying… finally she seemed to register, where she was and by whom she was being carried.

"Bastard!"

As he turned his head around she brought her fist right into his waiting, unexpecting face. She twisted out of his grip as they tumbled to the forest floor. She landed heavily on her back. She made to get up but Itachi landed right on top of her. He raised himself up, on his hands which were on either side of her shoulders. She snarled at him and tried to get up but he wouldnt allow it.

His cloak was sprawled out over his back and trailed down to cover them both. His nose looked caved in and was bleeding profusely. She flinched as a drop of blood fell from his face and landed on her cheek. His fathomless black eyes, looked coldly into her own.

Sakura stiffened. _He could kill me._

She would have expected that over what he did next. His hand came up to her face and brushed against her cheek. Her eyes followed it as it rose to eye level, revealing the drop of blood that had fallen against her face.

"You'll die of blood loss if I don't heal that.", she whispered hoarsely. He blinked, but grunted and sat up. Sakura looked around. They had fallen into a clearing in the midst of thick forest. It was still raining heavily. Her eyes fell on Itachi. He was sitting cross legged , his cloak was open and fell loosely upon his shoulders. Gulping she inched over to him and raised a hand, glowing with green chakra to his shattered nose.

_What am I doing? I could kill him now and get back to Sasuke and…Naruto…_

"If you're thinking of killing me, it would be useless. The Akatsuki would find you." he said. She stopped her healing. The blood flow had stopped, his nose was repaired.

Sakura knelt across from him now. She brought her hand down, a tear silently slid down her face.

She looked up, as she felt a warm hand grasp her wrist. Itachi was gazing at her with an animal-like hunger. Her heart started to race as his other hand roughly cupped her chin, tilting her head to a precarious angle. "Regret will get you nowhere…don't look back, never think twice."

Her eyes widened at those words…but closed as his lips came down upon her own. She brought her hand up to rest on the back of his head as their mouths molded together. He moved closer. She felt his tongue press hard on her closed lips. Hesitantly she opened her mouth. _How ironic…he tastes like strawberries. _

She shivered and he kissed her harder. He chuckled, and they pulled away. Sakura was shaking as he rested his forehead on her own. His eyes were glowing with that hunger, and though she didn't know it, so were hers'.

--

Itachi stood up. She still knelt on the forest floor so he pulled her up. He did not regret kissing her…she just looked so flawless at that moment…he couldn't resist. Right now she avoided looking into his eyes.

Enjoying the moment he wondered how far he could push it.

Slowly and methodically he rested his right hand on her shoulder and pulled her into him. She let our a little 'meep'. He smirked and worked his other hand down the collar of her cloak, tickling the nerves on her neck.

"I-Itachi what are you…doing?"

So naive. "Hmm…Indulging." The hand on her neck un buttoned the front of her cloak, he let it fall. His eyes hungrily roamed up and down her body. She shivered again, and he wrapped his other arm around her and brought his lips down to the hollow of her jugular. He smirked again against her warm skin, kissing his way slowly and lazily toward the back of her ear. She let out a small cry, and he lightly bit into the soft skin ear her shoulder. Somehow her hair had come undone and tickled his face, leaving a pleasant scent of cherry blossoms behind.

Sakura unknowingly brought her arms around his neck, snapping the tie bringing one hand to tangle itself in his hair, the other lightly massaging the back of his neck. Right now she hated herself. This was wrong…he was doing this to make her forget about the others…and it was working.

As he buried his head in her neck she found her face next to the small hollow underneath his ear. On impulse she kissed it thickly. He responded by pulling away slightly to land another, hard kiss. She enjoyed the taste of him…so intoxicating…something this wrong shouldn't have felt this good but it did…

A peal of thunder resounded around them. They needed to find shelter fast.

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Sakura curled up under her damp cloak and wriggled nearer to the fire. Itachi was sitting up watching the crackling flames. Neither of them had spoken since the clearing. There was nothing to be said. She shivered against the cold and fell asleep.

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The next day they traveled until they reached the compound. Sakura made for the door but Itachi wordlessly grabbed her by the collar of her cloak and forced her to look him in the eye. "Not a single word."

"Coward."

"Perhaps, but I am still in control."

She took one look at him and raised her hand. His eyes widened as she brought the back of her hand across his cheek with a sharp 'crack'. "The day you gain control over me is the day you earn my respect and that is unlikely to happen Uchiha Itachi."

He didn't stop her when she walked away.

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_**Yes it is extremely short, but it was meant to be! Stay tuned you winy bastards!**_


	11. Falling Into Place

-1_**Warnings: rated M for language violence and sexy situations ; )**_

_**Hello my faithful readers!!! Just a heads up here: any fanart, or anything like that is more than welcome!! Well, I had a hard time with this chapter…I'm not sure why though…oh well here you go!**_

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It was the next day. Sakura was lounging in the recreation room, which was little more than a library with some chairs. She had read some of the dark texts, all of them were filled with disturbing jutsus and forbidden techniques that would make your skin crawl. Now she sat curled up in a fluffy old armchair, meditating, trying not to think of Itachi.

Her resolve shattered however when, the raspy voice of Kisame ran through her thoughts like a drill. "Hey girlie Itachi's face is all fucked up, what did you do to him?" Sakura sighed in exasperation and opened her eyes to glare at him. "It was nothing he didn't deserve." Kisame smirked at her and raised an eyebrow. "Is that so?" She nodded and brought her feet down to the floor so she was sitting normally. He laughed and slung an arm around the huge, ever-present sword by his side. "Whatever you say…nice hicky by the way."

Sakura blushed and her hand immediately went to the raised bit of flesh where Itachi's teeth had grazed her throat. "Shut the fuck up you overgrown fish stick."

He laughed harshly and swung his sword around to rest at his feet. "So where'd you get it hm?"

Sakura glanced down, thankfully he was dense. "None of your damned business Kisame."

He leaned back in his chair, propping up his feet on the table and replied, "I still don't know how Itachi's face got fucked up…" "I slapped him. That's all nothing more end of story. We don't get along." She had agitatedly drawn her cloak closer around her shoulders, looking Kisame straight in the eye. He smirked. "Don't get along eh? Where'd you get that hickey again?"

Her eyes swiftly narrowed and she swept out of the room. He wasn't so dense after all.

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"Itachi-san, you're back. How did it go?" said the calm voice of Deidara. Itachi turned to glare pure death at the blonde smart-ass. He could see his blue eyes shining with contempt at the sight of his bruised and swollen face. "The mission was completed." Deidara smirked and walked closer to the Uchiha to examine his face closer. "Really, looks like you didn't complete it fast enough. Who gave you that work-over? I should send them flowers." Itachi didn't answer. The kunai sinking into his stomach was answer enough. Deidara choked, and stumbled back, blood seeping from his wound. He gasped coughed and pulled the weapon from his abdomen. Itachi smirked as he ambled from the room, but the pain from his fractured cheekbone made him wince.

He walked out of the kitchen, making for his room. He knew the kunoichi wouldn't seek him out to heal the wound she had inflicted. He would be disappointed if she did. He carefully perched himself on the edge of his bed, assessing the damage. Fractured cheekbone, traumatized gum line, he could feel a tooth missing too. All of that from a slap to the face. He had to admit she was an amazing kunoichi. Strong, beautiful, and yet she had a sense of fragility about her that he couldn't resist. She was like a crystalline vase that looked so perfect you would shatter it just to see the end result, yet she was also like the undertow of a river, strong and steady, continuous in her determination and stubbornness. He couldn't make her out.

He smiled in contempt at the memory of that kiss. He had felt a jolt of adrenaline that didn't compare to the near-death experiences he encountered almost every day. It was something new, and new things didn't appear often in his line of work, he intended to make use of every moment of it. He knew time with the little spitfire could be entertaining, but you had to be cautious…or she would burn you.

He closed his eyes as a jolt of pain lanced through his jaw line. It would only get worse. The logical thing to do would be to get the kunoichi to heal him. But Itachi wasn't prone to logical thinking. He was prone to cold calculating plans, that were thought of in seconds and executed with acute precision. This was how he had been taught to think ever since he was born into the Uchiha clan. He had not developed a normal frame of mind. He had the mind of a cruel efficient killer, that of a skilled shinobi. He often looked back and wondered how it would have been if he hadn't been an Uchiha. But every time he did, the conclusion he came to was 'this was the way it was meant to be' and to 'make the best of your situation. So he did, and was mildly satisfied with his life. His goal to eliminate his clan to test his brother's and his own strength had succeeded, his plan to separate himself from the corruption of the ninja had succeeded, and his plan to become someone other than just an Uchiha had succeeded. Faliure was not in his vocabulary.

Sighing hoarsely he laid back on the mattress and tried to fall into an uneasy sleep but it would not come. So he started to strategize how to heal his face.

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"So Uchiha, did you do as I asked?" asked the hawk. Its possessed voice was tense, a reminder of what happened the last time the "Leader" spoke to him in this form. Itachi blinked from his perch on the tree branch and muttered a tense "Yes. But my performance was hindered due to my eyes. They have been troubling me." The hawk tilted its head to one side, studying his now almost unrecognizable face. "Is that so? Ask the medic to heal you then." Itachi blinked. "I doubt she would consider healing me unless it was an order, and I do not wish to get on her…bad side." The hawk uttered a warbling chirp and hopped from side to side. "So you want _me…your_ leader to take the brunt, and tell her to take pity on you? That idea is almost laughable Uchiha." Itachi smirked despite the painful twang in his nerves. "The thing is sir, you don't have to take anything, she is your subordinate…I would just prefer her not knowing I need my eyes healed…I would rather it seem like a small requirement…otherwise the little brat might get cocky."

The hawk squinted at him for a moment as if considering, then said: "Very well, I will inform her of this _requirement._ but mark my words Uchiha this better not be a waste of my efforts…those crazy eyes of yours better be worth it."

"If you thought they weren't I wouldn't even be suggesting this to you and you know it."

"Dont question me again, or you will pay for it with your life Uchiha."

Without another word the deadly bird spread it's wings and glided off of the tree.

Good the plan was working out quite nicely. Now all that was required was a certain cherry blossoms ability to follow orders, and all would fall into place…more or less…

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"Sakura-san are you done sharpening weapons yet?" questioned the overly chipper voice of Tobi. Sakura gritted her teeth for about the hundredth time and spat out vehemently: "I can see why Deidara wants to murder you!" The masked man fell silent but Sakura felt him flinching in a jittery manner every time the whetstone scraped against the metal of her kunai or shuriken. She had come across this sharpening room in hopes to restore her weapons supply and find some peace and quiet. Her first wish was granted but the second flew out the window as soon as Tobi ambled in looking for Deidara. She hadn't the heart to turn him away. Now however she was ready to cut his head off. He was driving her up a fucking wall. Finally she completed sharpening her weapons and deposited the used whetstone on the table in front of her.

The room wasn't overly-large but it held an immense variety of weapons and tools. She had been awed at the sight. The table she had been sitting at was one of three, littered with kunai and sharpening whetstones. She exited the room out in the chilly hallway. She shivered and pulled the cloak closer to herself. The days were getting colder, and she was thankful for the thick material.

As she walked down the hall something swooped around her head and alighted on her shoulder. She saw it was a hawk. It glared at her with feral eyes and she winced as its talons bit into the tender flesh of her shoulder. "Haruno Sakura I have orders for you." Sakura yelped and tried to shake off the bird but it held fast to her cloak. "Calm down you foolish girl!" it snapped. She stopped her attempts to dislodge it and suddenly felt the chakra within the bird. A possession technique.

"In case you haven't noticed I am your Leader and I have orders for you."

"That so?"

"Yes. You are to heal Uchiha's eyes and whatever injuries he might have, his poor vision has become a slight hindrance to the organization."

The pink haired woman glared at the animal. "He did this didn't he?"

"Don't question me, get it done as soon as possible or there will be consequences."

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"Kakashi, how is he?" muttered a raven-haired boy. His charcoal black eyes stared blankly at the crackling fire, hands folded tensely in his lap. The man to his left, who was kneeling over an unconscious boy looked up, and then down again. "I'm not sure Sasuke I'm not a medic." the last word rang out with a bitter tone at the memory of the recent battle. Sasuke flinched and clenched his fists. "Out of all of us I didn't know shed have the gall to abandon the village like this."

Kakashi raised his eyebrow and continued to bandage up the thickly bleeding wound just below Naruto's shoulder. It was quite ridiculous how easily Itachi had brought down this ridiculously talented man. In only seconds he had brought down one of the strongest Leaf shinobi ever to be born into the Fire country. "You know Sasuke it wasn't a far cry from what you did. Her reasons are different though…I know she wouldn't do something like that without reason."

"Of course she wouldnt! It was join or die, what would you do in a situation like that?!"

"I would die."

Sasuke growled something inaudible and kicked the tree stump next to him. He was furious that his former teammate had done this. He was furious that it was out of her control. Kakashi looked up from tending Naruto's wounds and sighed. "Look Sasuke Sakura has been through a lot, in some ways a hell of a lot more than you ever did. Joining the Akatsuki was an escape to her."

Sasuke looked up at him, anger burning in his eyes. "What do you mean by that?"

Kakashi looked at him with equal disdain and replied: "She had to deal with the pain of losing you, the guilt of knowing she had done nothing to stop you, not to mention the fact that her parents were murdered, and nothing was done about it. She never told you but she was the one who killed the head feudal lord of Earth Country. Sakura has been through hell and back, and I wouldn't be surprised if she saw the Akatsuki as a new lease on life."

Sasuke glared at the packed earth. "Tsunade…what will she do?"

"Knowing her…probably get her back at all costs…not only is Sakura like a surrogate daughter to her, but she has infiltrated the Akatsuki…information Konoha needs lies within the organization."

Sasuke glared pure animosity at the silver-haired man and his eyes flitted to Naruto. He knew he was deathly worried for the Kyuubi vessel. If they didn't get him back to Tsunade soon he would die. They had to leave soon but before they did all of them had some serious sulking to do.

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"Deidara what the hell happened to you?!" exclaimed Sakura as she burst into her room. The fact that he was snooping around her dresser escaped her when she noticed the gaping and heavily bleeding stab wound near his abdomen. He opened his mouth to speak but she shushed him and sat him down on her bed. Her hand shot into the drawer where he had been rummaging and pulled out a roll of gauze bandages.

"Who the fuck stabbed you?" she asked as she deposited her cloak on the chair in front of her desk. He looked up at her with his chilling blue eyes and smirked, muttering "Itachi woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning." She rolled her eyes and motioned for him to remove his hand from the wound. He did, and she grabbed the hem of his shirt. "This is going to hurt because your stretching the traumatized flesh, but can you do your best to lift your arms over your head?" He grunted but slowly brought his arms up over his head. He didn't omit a cry of pain but she felt his muscles ripple in pain as she slowly pulled the smooth material over his chest. She pushed him down onto the bed and rushed to the bathroom, getting some wet cloth to clean the bloodied wound. Her eyes didn't miss the fact that he had a sculpted and muscled body under all that cloak. He flinched as she gently wiped away the blood but relaxed when her chakra rushed over the wound, knitting the flesh

"Up." she said. He complied and she wrapped the gauze bandages around his middle. "Be more careful around the bastard, oh and next time you're stabbed ask me to help and don't go rummaging around in my things."

She took his grunt as a thank you and he walked out the door.

Sakura shook her head in annoyance. Men. Her fingers fumbled for a notebook and a pen, she would need them for working on the bastards eyes. Even if she had sunken lower than thought possible on the moral ladder, she was still a medic and needed to take medical notes out of pure habit if nothing else. She left her cloak on the chair and stepped out of her room. The cold stone walls loomed around her like ominous guards.

_I hate who I have become, but I don't regret changing myself…is that normal?_

She sighed in exasperation and knocked sharply on Itachi's door.

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_**Well, I hope that makes up for the shortness of the last chapter! Do nto worry dear readers there will be more Ita-Saku-ness next chapter I promis! P.S. Reviews make me smile! ;)  
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	12. One Night Of Sin

-1_**Warnings: rated M for language violence and sexy situations ; )**_

_**Ok Ok, I'll admit I have been stingy on the sexiness, but I mean come on! Sakura is going through intense emotional turmoil, she has turned away from a troubled life into an even more troubled life. It wouldnt exactly be practical for someone to strip down and have hot smex with the first hot man, who also happens to be your 1st loves older brother now would it? Does that make moral sense to you people? I hope so…well your patience will be rewarded, **_

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"Good evening Itachi-san, I suppose you know why I'm here?" the pink-haired woman who stood in front of his doorway said. Itachi didn't answer, he couldn't because his fractured jaw line had begun to ache painfully. Her jade eyes noticed his injured face and he saw a smirk grace her lips. "Well before I begin, I need to heal your other injuries, or it might…_hinder_ my attempts to help you regain your eyesight."

He grunted and stepped aside for her to enter. She held her notebook with one arm and tied up her hair with the other, her pen held between her teeth. This task completed she tucked the pen behind her ear and frowned at him. He cocked his hip against the doorframe and raised an eyebrow at the flush that rose to her cheeks. "If you would lay down and get into a comfortable position Itachi-san I can start."

He inwardly chuckled at the perceived innuendo and began to walk across the room. She was scribbling on her notebook with her head bent. He smirked to himself and snuck up behind her, his body centimeters from her own, head directly behind her own. "My name is Itachi, Sakura-chan."

Itachi felt her heartbeat jump as his presence was detected, and she answered coolly, "And mine is Sakura."

He had moved too fast for her advanced chakra sensing abilities to perceive and it unnerved her. He could feel her unease at being inferior to his skill. He could also feel her hunger to be equal to, or even surpass his abilities. Itachi could tell she had the ability. He settled down on his mattress and put his hands behind his head, watching the pink haired spitfire's every move. She pulled up a chair, setting it right against the mattress. He could feel her body heat mingling with his own. "Is this going to be painful in any way?"

She smirked and replied, "Funny to think that a stoic Uchiha such as yourself would be apprehensive to a little word such as pain."

He glared at her as she raised her hands up above his face. Sakura's invasive chakra analyzed the extent of the damage. She paused once, scribbled something ineligible on the notebook, and then began to heal. It was amazing how quickly and accurately her gentle chakra knitted the fractured bone back together, rejoined the miniscule muscles, and healed the bruised flesh. He breathed with comfort able to move his mouth for the first time in two days. She didn't wait for him to say anything but merely placed her hands above his eyes. He listened while he spoke.

"Now, it will take a while to heal all this circulatory damage to you're chakra system. It seems that the large amount of chakra, put into activating and maintaining the Sharingan corrodes the systems, 'chakra veins' so to speak. I'm going to use my chakra, to inspect the full extent of the damage, and repair the corroded, and collapsed vessels. Also I need to remove the energy, build up around the retina and optic nerve. Do you understand?"

Any normal person would have answered with something along the lines of: 'Say what?' but Itachi merely gave her a small: "Hn".

She glared and began the healing process. Itachi closed his eyes and enjoyed the soft warm chakra flowing through his eyes, relishing in the feeling of renewal. Her essence poked and prodded, inside his eyes, slowly repairing all those years of damage. Suddenly she stooped, and he opened his eyes. Her chakra was still, in his eyes, but he could see her brow furrowed in intense concentration. She had encountered a problem…or was curious about something. Sooner or later, his chakra, wouldn't allow hers to sit idle in his system. And he wasn't about to stop it.

As expected, Itachi's chakra rushed up to greet the alien energy, that was Sakura. She sighed in frustration, and pulled her essence out of his chakra system. Her jade eyes looked foggily into his own. "You could have stopped that you know."

He grinned. "But I didn't."

His slightly improved eyes looked on in amusement as she stood, stumbled and caught herself on the edge of his mattress. "I found something interesting and…I had to look at it…but your damned chakra, canceled out my flow, leaving me tapped out. You bastard…"

Those were her last words before she swayed and started to fall. His lightning fast reflexes allowed him to catch her, laying her long-ways on top of him. Her breath was shallow, and tired, but she would be just fine. He relished in their closeness, and the way her head rested just below his chin. He wrapped his arms around her warm body, letting himself have this one moment. He was pretty much as weakened as she was from the clash of their chakras.

She stirred, and wriggled a bit, the raven-haired man could already feel her chakra recuperating and coming back. She would regain consciousness in about 15 minutes or so. He shuddered to think what she would do to him if she woke to being on top of him. He rolled her over next to him and stood up to wait for her to wake.

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Sakura shot bolt upright in bed. It had only been a few minutes since she had been rendered unconscious. Her sharp jade eyes scanned the room. There he was leaning against the desk, gazing at the floor. She sat up, and he looked at her. "We can continue, tomorrow." he muttered.

She snorted and grabbed his wrist with chakra laced fingers. "I don't think so, I have to finish up one more thing…"

She pulled him toward the bed, but something tripped her up and she fell down onto the mattress pulling Itachi along with her. He fell as if it was an art, and somehow managed to land on top of her, hands on either side of her shoulders, one knee between her legs the other next to her hip. She looked up into his smoldering dark eyes, and noticed he was smirking an amusement.

"You tripped me!" she said. Itachi raised an eyebrow and the smirk deepened. "You don't seem to be complaining." Her jade eyes widened at the innuendo and she glared. "You bastard. You kidnap me, force me to join this horrid organization, forced me to torture an innocent man and made me watched as you stabbed my best friend. You're a horrible, cynical, downright evi---"

Her next words were cut off as he brought down his lips upon her own, massaging them and causing her to fall silent. Finally he pulled away. "I still don't see you complaining." His dark eyes looked down into her own and she involuntarily shivered.

That was all he needed. He brought his mouth down upon hers, letting his hand run up and down her body while the other lay centimeters from her hip. She gasped slightly as her legs tangled with his and her hands touched him , very much against her own will. He lowered himself down on one elbow so he was now only inches elevated above her torso, sinuous, muscled body, hardened from so many years as shinobi, aligning perfectly with her own.

"I hope you know I hate you." Sakura whispered hoarsely against the soft skin of his ear. He chuckled maniacally and whispered against her ear, "It's funny how blurred the line between hate and lust becomes." She half sighed half screamed and rolled him over onto his back, pinning him there with chakra enhanced fingers and knees. Her hands were painfully gripped on his shoulders while her knees coincided painfully with his hips.

"I owe you nothing, I wan nothing to so with your mind games, attraction or lust, all I want is freedom and now I see I was hopelessly and foolishly blind to even consider joining this bloodthirsty, power-hungry criminal complex of an organization. To be quite honest with you I hope you all die slow painful deaths at the hands of justice, you in particular…Sasuke has been after your blood for far too long and given far to much just to see your demise. I sincerely hope he gets his wish of destroying you himself."

His eyes flashed and before she knew it she found herself off the bed and pinned painfully, and threateningly against the wall. His right hand was at her throat, his left hung, unnecessary at his side while his knee crushed her thigh against the stone wall.

"I've tolerated your flippancy and disrespect but if you do it again I will kill you."

Her dangerous eyes that were brimming with a burning fire glared into his which had considerably dulled. Finally, through the pain she managed to whisper in nothing but pure vehemence, "I'm willing to take that chance…I'm not about to sacrifice who I am to become like you, I will never lower myself to _your_ standards…never in a thousand lifetimes."

His grip tightened and for a moment she thought about what would happen if she died in his hands, but he let her fall to the ground and said simply "Get out before I change my mind."

Sakura had plenty of fire and spirit, but she wasn't dense, she knew when to retreat. Without another word she walked out of the room with as much dignity a person in her position could muster.

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Her decision was made, there would be no more of this. It was time to move on. Sakura folded the thick black cloak neatly atop her pillow, setting the rarely worn ring on top of it with little, if any, ceremony. She was dressed in practical knee-high sandals that also served as shin guards, a black medical skirt/apron, under that equally black knee length netting for modesty's sake and a reasonably tight shirt encased her lean but curved torso. Her headband was nowhere to be seen. She had hidden it within the depths of her knapsack. It was part of a past best left forgotten, but she was unable to let go completely. Her delicate, yet strong, fingers closed tensely around the strap of her backpack as she reminded herself that going back to the Village Hidden in the Leaves was absolutely not an option. She pushed her silky pink hair out of her face and tucked a strand behind her ear.

After all these years of searching for herself Sakura had come to the opinion that if she was ever to gain personal insight, and freedom, she had to go her hown way and make her own life, not allow someone else to make her choices. She was as yet unsure of what lay on the blank path of a lone shinobi but the one thing she was sure of was that it included freedom and a true definition of a new life.

Slowly and carefully she began to draw her chakra into herself. Too fast and it would alert one of he Akatsuki. Time to go. Swiftly she turned on her heel and opened the window.

"And here I thought you would've left long ago."

The pink-haired young woman gasped and turned to see Itachi leaning against the doorframe, hip cocked, and Sharingan activated. Sakura gulped and stepped back from the window sill to face him. "My decision is made, whether you like it or not I am through with the Akatsuki."

He smirked and slowly walked up to her, pushing her body back against the window with his own and sliding the window shut. "I cant say that I approve…but before you go…how about lowering your standards a bit?…" Sakura grimaced at the perceived innuendo. "I have told you that I hate you, isn't that enough to make you leave me be?"

"Hmmm…no."

He kissed her heatedly, his tongue slowly and methodically moving over her closed mouth. Grudgingly she opened her mouth and slid her arms around his neck, lifting her knee to rest on his hip and drawing herself closer. He deepened the kiss and his hands roamed across her back, tugging at the hemline. Sakura finally broke the kiss and glared lustily into his eyes. Guessing what she was going to say next he smirked and said, "I think you owe yourself one night of sin little cherry blossom." He took her mouth opening slightly as a 'yes' and kissed her again, while lifting her shirt over her head, letting her pack fall to the ground. Her greedy little hands reached up and tugged the hair tie from his long raven black hair and twisted themselves into the silky strands. Itachi lifted her up against the wall and she wrapped her legs around his waist to support herself. His mouth left hers and lazily made its way down her neck, resting in one or two places to nip her soft skin. He was rewarded with her arching into the curve of his torso and heatedly biting into his shoulder.

She squirmed against him and he backed up an inch from the wall. Sakura dropped to the floor lightly on her feet and pulled out a kunai. He tensed but, she merely pulled him closer and ran the deadly metal tool slice through the thin netting that was his shirt. As she was going to let it fall to the ground he grabbed it from her and sliced off her bindings, leaving her naked torso bare to his hungry eyes.

Without a word eh picked her up and lay her down on the bed, knocking the cloak and the ring to the ground, and left a trail of kisses from her jaw line, down her neck and across her chest.

And so Sakura gave into deadly temptation, letting one night of sin enter her life.

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_**Okay people please do not shoot me!!! I have been so busy and caught up with life that I really had no time to write this chapter. I rewrote it so many times that I kind of lost count, but here it is and I sincerely hope you enjoyed it! P.S: Reviews make me smile even though I don't deserve them! **_


	13. Looking Back

-1_**Warnings: Rated M for language violence and sexy situations ;)**_

_**Well I was going to add a long pre-chapter rant but it will come at the end. Sorry for shortness!**_

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Haruno Sakura, one of the most powerful and beautiful kunoichi ever to grace the shinobi nations, buckled one final strap against the shin guard of her sandal. Her soft, luxurious pink locks hung limp down her back slicked with sweat, a product of the night before. She sat gracefully on the edge of the mattress acutely aware of the man slumbering man behind her. Breathing deeply she turned around and rested a knee on the bed comfortably taking in the amazing sight of him.

The tangled, warm and damp sheet rested lightly over his legs barely covering the waistline. Her lustrous jade eyes took in every detail. Itachi's black hair was fanned out beneath him, one arm was slung across his chest while the other rested at his side revealing scars of the past that held many varied memories. The cherry blossom shivered in pure delight at the memory of the night before. To be quite frank it had been the most mind blowing sex of her 24 year old life. Her legs ached slightly along with her memories. Sighing she gave into aching desire and brushed away a strand of his hair from his face. He may have been wrong in so many ways but if Uchiha Itachi had been right about one thing it was that giving in was perfectly healthy.

Suddenly his eyes fluttered open and he sat up to gaze at her and smirk. She met his gaze respectably. He knew she had given up being a person who was told what to do, and she knew that he had shown her more than any other person in this cruel bloodthirsty world could. Softly he brushed some hair out of her face and kissed her slowly. She returned the kiss and when they pulled away she stood and grabbed her pack moving toward the window.

Before she slid off the window frame and into the coming dawn she heard: "Don't look back." And she answered with a quippy: "Never think twice."

With that she slipped out the window, her chakra signature disappearing along with her. Itachi smirked to himself and launched a kunai at the window. It slammed shut.

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**Three months later….**

"Gone…she's gone…WHAT DO YOU MEAN GONE?!" roared a furious blonde woman. Kakashi ducked as a very large desk was hurled in his direction, and Sasuke pulled Naruto down out of the way and onto the floor. "Tsunade it took us forever to locate that base and when we got there, the only traces of her was a discarded cloak and an old ring, she's gone, she left."

Tsunade froze for a moment, moved as if to take a step toward Kakashi then sat down on the window sill and to the three men's amazement…she began to cry. "It's all my fault…this whole mess is my fault, if I had done something about her parents…she wouldn't have gotten so…hopeless."

Kakashi looked down. "What now?" asked a seething Naruto. Tsunade placed her head in her hands. "I guess now…I guess we have no choice but to declare her a missing-nin."

As these words passed her lips Naruto's blood red eyes dilated and he let out a yell, revealing white fang-like canines. Then he promptly punched a hole in the wall sending the walls of the room crashing down around their ears.

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"Hey guys. How's the wife Ikamo?" Three men looked up at the newcomer and greeted him with hearty slaps on the back. "Eh you hear about that crazy-ass ninja girl?"

The other men grew quieter and their speaking reduced to mumbles inside the smoky tavern. The largest of them leaned forward and said in a low voice, "Yeah, she robbed the Raikage and gave all that he stole from the villagers back to the villagers themselves, then to make sure he didn't steal from them again the crazy ass bitch bashed his head in, making him swear not to do it again."

"And he listened?!"

"He said he knew she could have killed him."

"That kind of scares me…but in a way it makes me feel good that some of these damned shinobi are getting their asses handed to them…makes me glad to see that they're being put in their place."

"And by another shinobi nonetheless."

"The world's gone fucking insane…"

These mutterings and pointless gossip continued and a young woman in the corner smirked. She wore dark grey and black clothing. Anyone who would have looked close enough could have seen that they were a shinobi's getup. Black skirt, black netting under that, black zip-up shirt, pink locks hanging loose and long down her back. The young woman was truly beautiful, her eyes held a light behind him not often seen in the world, their jade green depths held an insight that she had sacrificed much to acquire. Yes Haruno Sakura had given up everything to become who she now was, but the girl never once regretted it.

Downing the last of her sake she stood up and exited the tavern. On her way past a table of rowdy men one brave man reached out and placed a bold hand on her backside. He grinned and the pink-haired woman stopped in her tracks. Blindingly fast her hand shot out, grasped his wrist an broke his arm with minimal effort. He screamed and fell back panting.

Without another action against him she left.

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The cold descended upon Sakura as she walked down the streets of the raggedy little village just inside the Lightning Country's border. Her pack was slung across her shoulders and a traveling cloak was wrapped around her swaying as she walked. These past three months had been…wonderful. The strong kunoichi finally had her freedom. She was finally her own person.

After leaving the Akatsuki she had traveled south for a while skirting the leaf border finally resting a while in Grass Country. While she lingered there she decided to become a vigilante of sorts, like so many other lone shinobi out there. She had always had a defined sense of right and wrong, always had a definite definition of the word justice. It made her heart ache to see how so many people had suffered injustice at the hands of ninja and the Kages, the people who lived under their ninja protectors were sometimes cruelly, even inhumanely, treated.

Families had been robbed, wives and daughters raped, houses burned down. All for the sake of someone a little higher up on the political ladder. Sakura was not going to stand for it and for the present she focused most of her energies into aiding the innocent.

At times she mocked herself for the oh so very cliché lifestyle she now upheld. She would laugh at how typical her efforts were, but at the same time carried out her business with all seriousness. Whether the shinobi nation liked it or not, she was making a difference.

The young woman paused at the threshold of the village entrance and looked back into the streets. It had begun to snow slightly, the crystalline flakes alighting on her softly. For a moment Itachi flashed through her mind, his cocky attitude, his assured skills…strawberries…

Stubbornly she pushed these thoughts away and continued walking out of the village. The last thing she wanted was Itachi sneaking into her life and disrupting every aspect of it like he had done all those months before. In a way she guessed she had to thank him for causing her to become who she was now…the jade-eyed kunoichi snorted at the fact that she had probably caved into one of his mind games after all…but somehow...she really didn't mind.

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_**Well there it is folks, there is the final installment of this story. I know this is a horribly cliché ending, but forgive me my transgressions! This was how I vaguely planned the story to end. It was more of a 'finding yourself' fic than anything else but I hope I worked the ItaSaku into it as well as I had hoped. Please review and if enough people request it I might consider a sequel…but I'm not sure yet. **_

_**----Hugs kisses and much giving out of pancakes---**_

_**Kakashi'sGirl101**_


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